Juvenile Justice Bill: Here's what Maneka Gandhi said in Rajya Sabha

The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill was on Tuesday tabled in Rajya Sabha for consideration and passage. 

Following the Supreme Court's dismissal of a plea against the release of the juvenile offender in the December 16 gang-rape case, Parliamentarians have cut across party lines to seek the passage of the amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act at the earliest.

Discussing the bill in Rajya Sabha, Union Cabinet Minister for Women & Child Development Maneka Gandhi claimed that the bill is compassionate.

She said, "We may not be able to do anything about the Juvenile convict in the Nirbhaya case, but we can deter many other boys from doing the same."

Here is what she said.

#WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi makes introductory remarks in #RajyaSabha to the motion for consideration & passing of the #JuvenileJusticeBill

— Ministry of WCD (@MinistryWCD) December 22, 2015

#JuvenileJusticeBIll is a compassionate Bill - #WCD Minister Smt Maneka Gandhi

— Ministry of WCD (@MinistryWCD) December 22, 2015

Parents of #Nirbhaya present in #RajyaSabha during the motion for consideration and passing of #JuvenileJusticeBill

— Ministry of WCD (@MinistryWCD) December 22, 2015

We may not be able to do anything about the #Juvenile convict in the #Nirbhaya case, but we can deter many other boys from doing the same

— Maneka Gandhi WCD (@manekagandhiwcd) December 22, 2015

#Juvenile crime is fastest rising segment of crime. #JuvenileJusticeBill will help to stop rise in #Juvenile crime

— Maneka Gandhi WCD (@manekagandhiwcd) December 22, 2015

A #Juvenile offender will not go directly to jail under the new #law. This is a nuanced bill.

— Maneka Gandhi WCD (@manekagandhiwcd) December 22, 2015

#JuvenileJustice board will decide whether a child committed the crime in a childish or adult frame of mind - #WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi

— Ministry of WCD (@MinistryWCD) December 22, 2015

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday assured the parents of Nirbhaya (December 16 gang rape victim), that he would be extending all his support to get the Juvenile Justice Bill passed in the Raya Sabha.

"We are meeting every one because the Bill is to be tabled today. He (Rahul Gandhi) has said that he supports the Bill and would support it," Nirbhaya's mother told the media.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also assured disappointed Nirbhaya's parents that the Juvenile Justice Bill would be today passed in the Parliament.